Typically, tacks and pushpins have a similar structure in that they both have a head and a pin extending outwardly from the head. The head is typically spherical, cylindrical, or disk-like in shape.
Tacks and pushpins are convenient; however, they can become a hazard. For example, a tack or pushpin can easily go unnoticed on a floor or chair. This hazard is amplified in a busy classroom or workplace. Pushpins are also commonly a hazard for dressmakers and tailors, who handle large quantities of such items. Usually, a dressmaker or tailor will stick himself or herself when reaching for a pin in a container.
In an attempt to resolve the above-described hazards, pushpins and tacks with safety mechanisms (i.e. safety tacks) have been designed. For example, safety tacks are known and described in a number of United States patents (See U.S. Pat. No. 1,857,158; U.S. Pat. No. 2,518,977; U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,507; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,030). In the aforementioned patents, the safety tacks provide safety functionality through a spring-type safety mechanism. Unfortunately, a spring-type safety mechanism for retracting and extending a point of a pin in a tack is impractical to manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,703 describes a safety tack with an interesting safety mechanism that is not of the spring-type variety. However, the tack disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,703 discloses a tack that appears from its design to be flimsy and unable to withstand repetitive use.
Accordingly, there is a need for a safety tack that minimizes the chances of injury and is simple enough to make manufacturing of the tack practical from a cost perspective.